STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2556

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2675

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 2675, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LICENSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Authorize the Board of Dental Examiners, Hawaii Medical Board, and Board of Pharmacy to deny a license to an applicant who has been disciplined by another state or federal agency and the Board of Nursing to deny a license to an applicant who has been disciplined by another state agency;

     (2)  Authorize the Board of Dental Examiners, Hawaii Medical Board, Board of Nursing, and Board of Pharmacy to impose the same disciplinary action against a licensee as was taken by another state or federal agency;

     (3)  Establish conditions for the disciplinary action;

     (4)  Prohibit a licensee from practicing until a final order of discipline is issued if the licensee has been prohibited from practicing in another state; and

     (5)  Require any final order of discipline taken to be a public record.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Dental Association, Hawaii Medical Board, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Regulated Industries Complaints Office, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

     Your Committee finds that timely action in reciprocal discipline cases is a vital aspect of consumer protection.  Furthermore, delayed action in reciprocal discipline cases, particularly in emergency situations, can put patients unnecessarily at risk.  This measure attempts to ensure timely reciprocal discipline of health care professionals by authorizing certain health care professional licensing agencies to deny a license to an applicant who has been disciplined by another state or federal agency and impose the same disciplinary action against a licensee as was taken by another state or federal agency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2675, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

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GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair